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Review - Merry Axemas, Vol. 2

Artist: Various artists

The second (and hopefully final) installment of executive producer Steve Vai's "Merry Axemas" series sees such disciples of fretboard excess as Zakk Wylde and John Sykes wallowing in the prog-rock piety they'd probably foist on us all year long if we let them.

Trevor Rabin's "O Come All Ye Faithful" even outdoes Yes for nauseating choirboy zeal. The most welcome Grinch in this parade is Ted Nugent, who sadistically (and hilariously) brings fruitcake to the party with his nose-thumbing rendition of "Deck the Halls." Defacing the tired standard with riffs lifted from the Sex Pistols' "God Save the Queen" and his own wango-tangoing repertoire, Nugent pours enough boiling pitch on the surrounding carolers to make the Addams Family proud.

The rest of you boys can adeste all the fidelises you want -- I'm going to hell with Ted.